Site Search Engine

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

For the Gentiles and Jews

Romans chapter 1:18-2:16

The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and perversion of all those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. This "wrath" in Greek means "to boil, to swell", a reaction of divine justice revealed against sin. The revelation of justice in the Gospel (v. 16, 17) was necessary because of the inability of men to achieve justice without the Gospel.

Ungodliness is the lack of reverence to God, as if He did not exist, and injustice arises from ungodliness, because the foundation of a good ethical conduct is based on the nature of God and on our attitude towards Him. The truth can be known and was manifested by God, but the ungodly men hide it ("suppress the truth in unrighteousness") with their wicked actions.

The wrath of God reaches with justice both the Gentiles (Romans 1:18 -32) as the Jews (Romans 2:1 to 3:20), and is revealed when He delivers men to the uncleanness (v. 24), vile passions (v. 26), and a debased mind (v. 28). Furthermore, God has already shown in history his extreme displeasure, using measures of withering destruction such as the flood (Genesis 7), the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19), and the punishment of Korah, Dathan and Abiram (Numbers 16:32).

The cause of condemnation:

The invisible attributes of God - His eternal power and divine nature - are clearly manifest and seen in creation, since the beginning of the world, and thus all are aware of the existence of God through the created things, having no excuse for atheism.

But the ungodly have disrespected God and have not given Him the homage and gratitude due; in their arrogance they have made speculations and have puffed themselves up. Their heart is obscured. They foolishly replaced the immortal glory of God with images like men and animals.

Man was created perfect, physically and morally. Instinctively man is religious, aware that there is a creative power above him, and that there is good and evil and reward and punishment for his actions. Moving away from God fatally leads to a moral and physical degeneration. We have seen this time after time in human history. Immorality and disease go hand in hand.

By refusing to admit the true, infinite and incorruptible creator God, man dives into the stupidity and perversion that characterize idolatry. He makes for himself images representing corruptible man, quadrupeds, birds and reptiles (Paul teaches that things sacrificed to idols are sacrificed to demons and not God - 1 Corinthians 10:20). Or the ungodly man is a humanist, denying the existence of any spiritual reality (this passage under study clearly demonstrates the falsehood of the theories of evolution).

The consequences of ignoring God:

For exchanging the truth of God for a lie, and worshipping and serving creatures instead of the Creator, God left men (gave them up) to their own self-determination and self-destruction, which is part of the price of man’s moral freedom (these are the "days of ignorance" to which Paul referred in Acts 17:30).

Three times it is said that God gave rebellious mankind up, the consequences being uncleanness (1:24), vile passions (1:26), and a debased mind (1:28), as follows:

1. Uncleanness, by dishonouring their bodies among themselves. It involves the practice of adultery, promiscuity, prostitution, etc. with no regard to preserving their bodies for an honourable marriage with a person of the opposite sex so both become one flesh (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5-6, 1 Corinthians 6:16).

2. Vile passions, by perverting the instinct of natural reproduction, persons of the same gender are driven by erotism toward each other, woman with woman and man with man. "committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due" (venereal diseases come from very long ago).

3. "A debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting" (v. 28), having no standard of righteous behaviour to keep to, they settle for that which better suits their desires. It is a consequence of having rejected the knowledge of God, therefore ignoring His commandments and making their own code of conduct. This is the reason why so many people embrace the theories of evolution: they want to depart from the knowledge of God. They don't bother with the utter lack of evidence of these theories, but base themselves on a theory of origins that can completely eliminate the concept of God. God gave them up to this sentiment, which entails filling themselves with:

• Unrighteousness – absence of justice, in violation of the rights of others.

• Sexual immorality and wickedness – ability or inclination to do evil, having a bad nature.

• Covetousness – a burning desire to possess ever more, and to get what belongs to another person by any means.

• Maliciousness – perversity and cruelty.

• Envy – disgust because of the happiness or prosperity of others, and the unstoppable desire to possess or enjoy what others have.

• Murder – the destruction of the life of others.

• Strife – combat, altercation, brawl, discord.

• Deceit– lies, frauds, roguery.

• Evil-mindedness – malice, badness and wicked purposes.

With their characters perverted by these factors, the wicked become grumblers, detractors, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful.

Those that dishonour their bodies (v. 24), are sensual and vile (v. 26 and 27) and have depraved senses (v. 29-31), yet have an innate awareness not only that these things are bad, but that they deserve death.

They know that this is the ruthless sentence of God that weighs on them, no matter how much they want to argue away or endeavour to give legitimacy to these sins. But that does not dissuade them from continuing to satisfy their lusts for these forms of wickedness. In fact they join with others to promote them, and in this camaraderie they approve each other.

The condemnation of the moralist:

A moralist is a person who judges others, yet is inexcusable himself, because he also practices the same things and so is subject to the judgment of God. Unrepentant, he despises the kindness, tolerance and longsuffering of God, gathering the wrath of God against himself for the day of judgment.

In the final judgment God shall judge the secrets of men, by Christ Jesus. Then God will render to each one according to his deeds:

• To those who persevere in doing good, seeking glory, honour and immortality (evidence of a transformed life) he will give eternal life, glory, honour and peace.

• For the self-seeking who reject the truth, obey unrighteousness and do evil, there will be wrath, indignation, tribulation and anguish.

There is no partiality with God: those who sin knowing the law of God will be judged by it: those who only hear the law are not righteous, but those who obey it will be justified.

Those who do not know the law know by nature to distinguish good from evil, and their conscience and thoughts will accuse or defend each other; so some do good as if they practised the law, but those who sin, will perish.

 

R David Jones

Previous                                                                                                           Next

 

 

 

 

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

 

 

19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

 

 

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,

23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

 

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

 

29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans chapter 1, verses 18 to 32

 

1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

6 who "WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS":

7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;

8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness — indignation and wrath,

9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;

10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

11 For there is no partiality with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Romans chapter 2, verses 1 to 16